Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
1998-2001 · 3 years · show in timeline

Rome 1998 and 2001: The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Cardinal Ratzinger condemns the writings of Anthony de Mello and binds Jacques Dupuis in writing to its teaching

On 24 June 1998 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith declared the positions of the Jesuit Anthony de Mello incompatible with the Catholic faith and liable to cause grave harm. On 24 January 2001 it published a Notification on the book by the Jesuit Jacques Dupuis on religious pluralism: it contained notable ambiguities. Dupuis had to sign it and commit himself to follow it in future. Both texts were signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and approved by John Paul II.

Period
1998-2001 (3 years)
Report published
24 June 1998
Country
Vatican City
Institutions
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Category
Heresy trials, Censorship
Level of evidence
A Primary source · what does this mean?
Persons
Anthony de Mello (Jesuit, author of the censured writings)
Jacques Dupuis (Jesuit, author of the censured book)

What happened to the people

How were they charged and sentenced?

  1. On Dupuis the Congregation found notable ambiguities and difficulties on important doctrinal points. The Notification was presented to him, and by signing he committed himself to assent to the stated theses. The text must be included in every reprint and translation of his book.
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Kongregation für die Glaubenslehre (vatican.va), Vorwort
    „they found that his book contained notable ambiguities and difficulties on important doctrinal points“
    Notification on the book Toward a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism by Father Jacques Dupuis, SJ, 24. Januar 2001, Vorwort. Original
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Kongregation für die Glaubenslehre (vatican.va), Vorwort
    „By signing the text, the author committed himself to assent to the stated theses“
    Notification on the book Toward a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism by Father Jacques Dupuis, SJ, 24. Januar 2001, Vorwort. Original
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Kongregation für die Glaubenslehre (vatican.va), Vorwort
    „must be included in any reprinting or further editions of his book“
    Notification on the book Toward a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism by Father Jacques Dupuis, SJ, 24. Januar 2001, Vorwort. Original

What happened to those affected?

  1. The Congregation declared the positions of de Mello, who had died in 1987, incompatible with the Catholic faith and liable to cause grave harm.
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Kongregation für die Glaubenslehre (vatican.va), Schluss
    „this Congregation declares that the above-mentioned positions are incompatible with the Catholic faith and can cause grave harm“
    Notification concerning the writings of Father Anthony de Mello, SJ, 24. Juni 1998, Schluss. Original
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Kongregation für die Glaubenslehre (vatican.va), Einleitung
    „Father Anthony de Mello (1931-1987)“
    Notification concerning the writings of Father Anthony de Mello, SJ, 24. Juni 1998, Einleitung. Original

See also

Original documents to read

  1. Church document
    Heiliger Stuhl, Kongregation für die Glaubenslehre (vatican.va): Notification concerning the writings of Father Anthony de Mello, SJ, 24. Juni 1998, 24 June 1998. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
  2. Church document
    Heiliger Stuhl, Kongregation für die Glaubenslehre (vatican.va): Notification on the book Toward a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism by Father Jacques Dupuis, SJ, 24. Januar 2001, 24 January 2001. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
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Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.